1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing device, and more particularly to a cooling structure for cooling electronic components in an information processing device such as a notebook personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent widespread use of a notebook personal computer especially for improvement in work efficiency, diverse functions have been required for the computer to result in high-density mounting of high-integration electronic components having high heating values on a printed wiring board built in the computer. Furthermore, the requirement for high-speed operation of a CPU causes an increase in power consumption to result in an increase in heating value. Accordingly, it is necessary to efficiently cool such electronic components.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a notebook personal computer as an information processing device in the prior art. The notebook personal computer shown in FIG. 1 includes a housing 2, a keyboard 6, and a display 8 both mounted on the housing 2. Although not shown, a printed wiring board is mounted in the housing 2, and electronic components including a CPU are mounted on the printed wiring board. A fan 12 for cooling the electronic components is mounted at a rear end portion of the housing 2. Further, a tilt stand 14 for adjusting a view angle of the display 8 is provided. A plurality of vent holes 4 are formed through a front wall of the housing 2 to introduce air into the housing 2, and a ventilation hole 10 is formed at the rear end of the housing 2 to expel the inside hot air. By driving the fan 12, heat generated from the electronic components, especially from the CPU is forcibly expelled to the outside of the housing 2.
However, a sufficient space cannot be defined between the fan 12 and the electronic components in the conventional information processing device because of its reduced size and weight. As a result, an efficient ventilation space for expelling the heat from the electronic components cannot be defined, thus hindering ideal heat dissipation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device which can efficiently expel the heat with an increased ventilation space.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device having electronic components and a housing, the information processing device comprising a hollow tilt stand pivotably mounted on a first shaft to take a retracted position where the tilt stand is horizontally retracted at a bottom portion of the housing and a raised position where the tilt stand is substantially vertically raised to support the housing in its tilted condition; and a fan provided in the tilt stand for expelling heat from the electronic components.
Preferably, the information processing device further comprises a first terminal connected to a driving section of the fan; a second shaft supported to the rear portion of the housing; a power supply for supplying a supply voltage to the electronic components and the driving portion of said fan; and a switch pivotably mounted on the second shaft and having a second terminal connected to the power supply, the switch being rotatable between a first position where the second terminal is separate from the first terminal in the retracted position of the tilt stand and a second position where the second terminal is kept in contact with the first terminal by pressure of the tilt stand in the raised position thereof.
Preferably, the information processing device further comprises a projection formed on the tilt stand; clock switching means having a first terminal for inputting a first clock signal, a second terminal for inputting a second clock signal, a third terminal for inputting a control signal, for outputting to the electronic components one of the first clock signal input to the first terminal and the second clock signal input to the second terminal according to the control signal input to the third terminal; a second shaft supported to the rear portion of the housing; a power supply for supplying a supply voltage to the electronic components, the fan, and the clock switching means; and a switch pivotably mounted on the second shaft and having a fourth terminal connected to the power supply, the switch being rotatable between a first position where the switch is separate from the projection of the tilt stand in the retracted position thereof to make separation of the third terminal and the fourth terminal and a second position where the switch is in pressure contact with the projection of the tilt stand in the raised position thereof to make contact of the third terminal and the fourth terminal.
More preferably, the information processing device further comprises an extensible partition member elongated over the width of the tilt stand in the lateral direction of the housing, the extensible partition member having a front end fixed to the bottom portion of the housing and a rear end fixed to the tilt stand; wherein when the tilt stand is in the retracted position, the extensible partition member is folded to fill a gap defined between the bottom portion of the housing and the tilt stand, whereas when the tilt stand is in the raised position, the extensible partition member is extended to define an optimum ventilation space in cooperation with the bottom portion of the housing and the tilt stand.
Other objects and features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken with the accompanying drawings.